Stuck in the Mud.

I have been in a knitting funk since January. Other than my Snappy hat, I have not had the motiviation to do a darn thing. I guess I got stuck with two knitting obligations that were sucking the life out of me and I didn't even know it. First, I was stuck trying to finish a sweater for my niece who grew faster than normal and faster than I could knit. So now I am left with a half finished sweater that will be frogged. I plan on completing a project for her soon, but I focus on a quick project in a toddler size because of her ginormous growth spurts. Then my mother's sweater...... more on this later.

This past weekend I found myself transformed from no projects on needles to four projects on needles. What happened? I got very motivated and ambitious and pushed myself out of my funk and on to my needles and stash.

The first of my many projects I plan on knitting is Interweave Knits magazine Spring 2009 Cover pattern- Diminishing Rib Cardigan. I am using a lovely Malabrigo yarn I bought in a dusty olive colorway -greens with pinks. The colors are funky and I think the cardigan pattern is simple enough that the yarn will shine.

I also began a Juliet Scarf. This lace pattern is my way of pushing myself to read and follow charts better and finally complete a lace pattern. I am using Fable baby alpaca yarn and I have to say it’s so soft and light looking I just love the way this is knitting up, even if I only have a few rows done.

After much stress, aggravation and frustration trying to find a pattern for my mothers sweater while keeping in mind the yearn - super bulky Rowan Big Wool, I decided to use the same Brigitta pattern I used for my mother-in-laws sweater. I already experimented with three other patterns to no satisfaction on the pattern or use of yarn. This week I finally decided to make another Brigitta sweater.

It’s a great pattern, easy to follow, I have already done one sweater in the same yarn for my mother-in-law and it knits up very fast. I didn’t want to make the same sweater pattern for both my mom and mother-in-law but not being able to find another suitable pattern left me in a pickle. On a postive note, the sweater will be in a different color and size. I would like to finish this project by the end of the month before all of our cool weather is gone.

Finally I needed something that would be satisfying for my knitting ego. I needed to make a project that I could finish by the end of the week and feel like I finally completed a project, instead of feeling like I like I was trying to run but was stuck in the mud. I am knitting the Paris Loop by Stephanie Japel using a wonderful yarn for this project -Schaefer Nancy Yarn in Dian Fossey colorway – greens, greys and dark almost black colors. It’s very pretty.

I just realized that I bought three different yarns in green colorways this year. I must have been in dire need of knitting in green or was inspired by the lack of green in the winter. Either way this spring is looking green, friendly and I am feeling happy already.